Meatball Ravioli Soup

Today's weather has been more winter than spring and I cannot get warm. So that means its soup time! Here's one of my favorite recipes because everything comes the freezer or pantry. Dinner is ready in a snap! I wish warm weather could be had so easily! CHEERS!

Ingredients:
1 package Tyson Fully Cooked Chicken Meatballs

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove minced
1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes (undrained)
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (32 ounce) container Swanson chicken broth
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme and oregano
8 ounces mini cheese-filled ravioli

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Arrange frozen meatballs in single layer on a cooking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes.

While meatballs bake heat olive oil in a 4-6 quart stockpot. Brown onion and garlic.

Add tomatoes and liquid, tomato paste, broth, water, sugar, basil, thyme and oregano. Bring mixture to a simmer, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add ravioli and cook, covered at a gentle boil according to package directions (approximately 10 to 15 minutes), until they are just tender and no longer have a starchy taste. Stir in meatballs and return to simmer. Stir in parsley and sprinkle with cheese.

Serve warm.

WLS patients should eat 3-5 meatballs topped with a modest serving of ravioli and liquid.

5 meatballs contain 13g protein, 11g fat (3 saturated), 6 grams carb

What's so bad about Fried Food?

Here's an interesting discussion from the Neighborhood about fried food after Weight Loss surgery - take a look and link to the Neighborhood to add your thoughts and ideas!

Question from deb728: "Now I know fried food is bad for you in general. But is there a specific reason that we as weight loss people can't eat it? I would never eat a cheesteak or anything super greasy again, but sometimes I'm like holy cow I want chicken nuggets. So I was just wondering why can't it be like everything else-a couple french fries or chicken nuggets like once every two months?"

Kaye's Answer: "Hi Deb -- Thanks for asking this question! As you mentioned, in general fried food is bad for us from a general health standpoint. A 6-piece serving of fried chicken tenders contains 401 Calories; 16g Protein; 8g Fat; 57g Carbohydrate. The FDA calculates this at 3 1/2 starch/bread servings and 1 lean meat serving -- clearly not something fitting a "Protein First" meal. Its easy to figure out how we have become "obese nation" when you consider many children are weened from the bottle right to the fast food fried chicken pieces.

Now, since you had RNY you are dealing with not just the nutritional facts above, but a malabsorptive procedure. That means you no longer have an abundant supply of gastric enzymes needed to digest foods high in fat. Because fried chicken pieces are high in fat and carbohydrate you are at risk of dumping syndrome when eating them. In fact, many people are baffled when they experience classic dumping symptoms after eating fried fatty food. So that's the second reason to avoid fried foods, including fried chicken pieces or my personal favorite, fried cheese! Yeah, I've tried that and not had good results. sick0022.gif

But there is a rainbow here in this cloud of bad news!!

You can cook at home a reasonable "mock" chicken nugget and be quite happy in your pouch, your mouth, and your brain (no guilt!) Take this recipe for Parmesan Crusted Chicken and make a great meal. Once you get familiar with the method you can experiment with herbs or coatings to keep things fresh. Instead of serving it with the classic fries or onion rings add some salad or fresh fruit and berries. I think you will be quite happy with your effort!"

Happening in the Neighborhood

Good things are happening in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood - Our weight loss surgery safe haven circle of friends. Check out some of the great conversations we are enjoying today and join us!

Celebrating our Neighbor's Hard Work!
Diana is down 17 pounds in two weeks following the 5 Day Pouch Test & Day 6 way of LIVING!

Unofficial Sleep Survey
Kim wants to know how all of the Post-Ops are sleeping. Please take part in my unofficial survey in order to help cure me of my curiosity. I may sleep better with the knowledge! Take her quick and painless survey here.

Spring Fitness Training Group
Lots of run and walk events coming up in May! Join our Neighborhood team training group and share your hints, tips & enthusiasm as we all get ready to particpate in fun physical activities in the warm months ahead!

Driver's License - Did you fudge on your your weight?
We're taking a survey: Is your driver's license a factual document including height, weight and hair color or is it a work of fiction written by an optimist?

Popcorn -- Do or Don't
What have you been told about eating popcorn after weight loss surgery? Is snacking on this "healthy snack" a do or don't after weight loss surgery? Interesting discussion!

Fun Friday
Gwenda is Back! Get ready for another round of fun at our weekly Neighborhood game where we get to know our Neighbors and have the chance to win fabulous prizes!

Bookworm Bundle - Save 20% at LivingAfterWLS Store

Build your LivingAfterWLS Library with our Best Selling Books and save 20% with a Bundle Purchase! Bookworm Bundle includes:

5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual by Kaye Bailey List: $24.95 Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test by Kaye Bailey List: 29.95 The Neighborhood Cookbook edited by Kaye Bailey List: $20.00 500 Pages of Information, Inspiration, Motivation, Recipes to support your long-term success with weight loss surgery. $74.95 Value --- for $59.95 SAVE 20% Free Goody Bag with Bundle! BUY NOW!

Day 6 Birthday Dinner Triumph!

This is my plate from Jim's 68th Birthday Dinner April 26, 2010. I served Jalapeno-Salmon Burgers on whole grain buns (I went topless - bun wise, that is!), Baby Romaine Salad with tomatoes, avocado & Parmesan; Long Grain & Wild Rice Pilaf (from a box-Near East); fresh strawberries and German Chocolate Cake for Dessert. Total cost per plate was $8.05 and I enjoyed 1/2 my salmon burger for lunch today. I had only a bite of the cake, Jim enjoyed about 1/2 a normal slice -- we have quite a bit of that left since neither of us eat sweets very often. (Temptation looms - but I will be strong!) The cake was more for the ceremony than for nutrition.

I was out of town attending meetings most of the day yesterday so I needed to grab something in Park City on my way home that would keep well for the 90-minute drive and I could put together quickly once I arrived home later than normal and more tired than normal. So shopping objective was convenience, freshness, cost, ease of preparation, and presentation. I had 15 minutes to do the shopping!

Why this is a Day 6 Meal:

The centerpiece of this meal is the salmon burger. At 4 ounces/patty each contains 28g Protein and is rich in omega 3 fats - the good fat. I chose to eat mine on the bottom half of the whole grain bun with a spread of Miracle Whip Light. Jim took his burger top-on. I purchased the salmon patties ready-to-cook at Whole foods "Daily Special" for $2.49/pound so each patty was only $2.50. I pan seared them over medium-high heat in a small amount of canola oil from the pantry. Before I started cooking the salmon patties I cooked the rice per package directions. I used Near East brand Long Grain & Wild Rice Mix, serves 3 (1 cup each) at $0.90/serving. As you remember from the Day 6 starches such as rice or pasta can be included as condiments in our Daily Intelligent Eating Plan - That meant about 1-2 Tablespoons for me. Jim, however, took a full serving of about 1 cup cooked rice.

While the salmon cooked I "plated" the salad of greens, tomatoes, avocado and Parmesan cheese and garnished with a few plump fresh strawberries. It took about 8 minutes for the salmon patties to cook (4 minutes per side) and during the last part of cooking I toasted the buns under the broiler. I lined a baking sheet with foil, placed the open buns on the foil and lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Toasting took about 90 seconds.

I want to illustrate here that we can quickly and economically respect our Day 6 goals, even on special occasions.

For this occasion it was my luxury to be able to get help from the grocery store. (We live 40 miles out on the range away from such convenience -this truly is a luxury shopping day for me!!). By taking advantage of the Daily Special salmon patties my main protein was ready-to-cook and delicious at just $2.50/serving. Buying & Cooking 4 servings when we only needed 2 means that I have leftovers for both Jim and I later this week (I already ate my leftovers from last night!) So I've cooked once, we will eat twice. The fresh produce made a easy and nutritionally balanced low-glycemic side dish (salad) and the rice was a convenient and healthy whole grain option for Jim and a nice "condiment" for me. The German chocolate cake was more for show and for Jim than for nutritional need. Understanding this is part of our "Intelligent" Day 6 eating. German chocolate cake is the only sweet Jim has ever expressed a fondness for (ranch kids didn't grow up on sweets), so once a year he gets it. I was right-happy with a taste chased with a fresh strawberry - and that choice allowed me to feel "Triumph" not remorse.

Here is the cost workup on the Birthday Dinner:



The Daily Intelligent Eating Triumphs concept teaches us that every single day we have opportunity to feed our body well. It doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming or stressful. I know you are out there doing this for yourself and your families and it makes me so proud! So please, join the fun and share how you are making every day Day 6!

Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test

Ham & Egg Casserole for Dinner

A wonderful dinner casserole that sneaks in some extra veggies but still very high in protein. Delicious fresh or reheated the following day.

Ingredients:
1 pound zucchini, sliced (about 4 medium)
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 eggs
1 cup (8 oz.) low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces cooked lean ham or turkey ham, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

WLS Friendly Egg Recipes

Directions:
In large skillet over high heat, cover and cook zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, and garlic, until spinach starts to thaw, about 3 or 4 minutes. With fork, break spinach apart. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is crisp-tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain well. In large bowl, beat together eggs, cottage cheese, and seasonings until well blended. Stir in ham and cooked vegetables.

Lightly spray 12 x 7 1/2 x 2-inch baking dish. Pour in egg mixture. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake in preheated 350ºF oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Great recipes in our LivingAfterWLS Publications by Kaye Bailey

Poached Eggs over Sauteed Spinach Greens

I like this recipe simply because it is a change from the same old hard-cooked egg. It is easy to make and showy to present - a great weekend brunch dish.

Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
4 chicken eggs
1 tsp light vinegar (rice, apple cider, or white wine)
about 4 cups water
1 cup thinly sliced green onion
6 medium cloves garlic, sliced
4 cups fresh baby spinach
4 tablespoons chicken broth (divided)
juice & zest of one lemon
salt and black pepper to taste


Directions:
Bring water and vinegar to a fast simmer in a skillet large enough to fit eggs. Make sure there is enough water to cover eggs.

While water is coming to a simmer, heat 1 tablespoon broth in a separate stainless steel 10-12 inch skillet. Sauté sliced green onion in broth over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add garlic slices and continue to sauté stirring constantly for another minute.

Add baby spinach, remaining broth, and lemon juice, and simmer covered on medium low heat for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Spinach will wilt down considerably.

When done season by tossing with lemon zest, salt and pepper. Divide mixture among 4 plates.

In the boiling vinegar water poach eggs until desired doneness. This will take about 5 minutes, or just until the white is set and the yolk has filmed over. Remove from vinegar water with a slotted spoon and place on top of greens.

One egg and ¼ of the spinach mixture is a serving. Adjust to your WLS needs.

Birthday Gift for You in the General Store

Yesterday was my 44th Birthday and I'm sending a big cyber-hug of THANKS to all my LivingAfterWLS Neighbors and Friends who have taken the time to wish me Happy Birthday! I am simply overwhelmed with your love and kindness. Thank you!

We have made it possible in the LivingAfterWLS General Store to give back this weekend as both my husband and I celebrate our birthdays. I'm personally including with each order my own recipe for Parmesan Chicken and enough You Have Arrived Italian Blend seasoning to make it! Consider it my gift to you for your kindness and loyalty to the LivingAfterWLS project. No coupon code necessary - I'm sending this with all orders placed April 21-April 26. Thank you for celebrating this birthday with me! I'm looking forward to a healthy happy year with you.

While you are shopping please take advantage of our coupon - Enter SPRING in the coupon box at checkout and save $2.00 off your order - no minimum purchase required!

FREE with ALL BOOK PURCHASES -- Goody Bag that includes some of our LivingAfterWLS Worksheets, the 5 Day Pouch Test handy reference card, a sweet laminated "You Have Arrrived/Four Rules" Wallet Card and product samples! Fun Stuff!!! Items are top quality and may vary with what we have on hand! Fun for Everyone!
LivingAfterWLS Books

FAQ: Credit & Debit Cards -- The LivingAfterWLS General Store accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit and debit cards and PayPal payment options. PayPal is the verified secure gateway by which our payments are processed, but not the required form of payment. When placing an order enter the CAPTCHA (funny letters and numbers) in the PayPal gateway box to proceed then click the link on the left side of the page that says "Don't have a PayPal Account? Use your credit card or bank account to continue" -- Click the word "Continue" to make a secure payment with your credit or debit card. Your secure purchase is guaranteed.

Shop Now!

Our products are carefully selected with you in mind - Thank you for allowing us to serve you. More than being an online merchant I consider myself and LivingAfterWLS a steward of the weight loss surgery community. It is an honor to be in your service. May you have a fine weekend and enjoy your best life LivingAfterWLS!

Sincerely,
Kaye Bailey

Find me on Facebook and Follow me on Twitter

It's My Birthday!

Carbonated Beverages & Weight Loss Surgery

As seasonal temperatures climb it is tempting to reach for a cool refreshing carbonated beverage. Kaye explains why as weight loss surgery patients we are discouraged from including carbonated drinks in our diet.

Fresh Strawberries with Creamy Lime Custard

This is a terrific company-worthy dessert that makes great use of springs ruby jewels: strawberries. You can substitute lemon or orange for the lime if you prefer.

Ingredients:
8 oz fat free sour cream
1/2 cup fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp lime peel zest
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 cup fresh sliced strawberries

Directions:
1. In a medium size bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, grated lime, and fresh lime juice and mix well.

2. Spoon 1/4 cup of the lime custard into 4 dessert bowls. Top with 3/4 cup of strawberries and place a 2 tablespoon dollop of custard on top.

Serves 4. Per serving: 200 Calories, 7g Protein; Trace Fat; 42g Carbohydrate.

More WLS Friendly Berries & Fruit Recipes

Sugar Substitutes For Beginners

As weight loss surgery patients we are constantly seeking knowledge about sugar and sugar substitutes so we can make the best choices for our health and metabolic systems. I came across this article by Rachel Smith of Sugar Subtitutes and found it accurate and informative regarding sweetening products available to consumers. I think the use of sweeteners, including sugar and sugar substitutes, after surgical weight loss is the personal choice of the patient. It is appropriate for a patient to consult with their bariatric care team, nutritionist in the decision making process as well as being informed of the options available and personal taste preferences. This article is a good start for learning what is available to us.

Learn more in the LivingAfterWLS Library: Diet, Nutrition, Vitamins

Sugar Substitutes For Beginners
By Rachel J Smith

Sugar substitutes have been around for many years, but historically have only been found mostly in commercial products found in supermarkets. However, over the last few years, the range of sugar substitutes have increased and are now readily available and affordable for every day cooking. So lets get started with what options are available for the every day home cook.

If you are like most cooks, you probably already use honey in your kitchen. The are great to use since honey also contains good nutrition, especially manuka rated honey. Honey crystals have also become popular as an alternative. However, as a low sugar alternative, honey still contains the same amount of sucrose as table sugar. So if you're cooking for a family member who requires a low sugar diet, then perhaps honey will not be suitable. Many celebrities have been turning to Agave Nectar recently, but some quick research will show you that this alternative also contains the same level of fructose as table sugar.

Then there are the supermarket brands, such as Equal (Nutrasweet), Sweet n Low, and Splenda. These either contain sucralose, dextrose, sacharrin or aspartame, which by themselves can be up to 200 times more sweet than sugar. For that reason it can be quite difficult to cook with these 'artificial' sweeteners, as amounts used vary between different recipes, and converting all your recipes can be time consuming. Of course, you may have already read about the health issues raised against the companies manufacturing these products. However, they are readily available, and have FDA approval (Food and Drug Administration). Personally, I don't use them anymore, since they can be hard to work with due to their fine granularity.

One of the latest products to come out over the last few years has been Stevia, made from stevia plants mostly located in south america. However, most of the products that I have tried have been either too bitter to use, or have a slight after taste, which my family notice every time I've cooked with it. About a year ago, a product called Truvia was brough out, which is a mix of Rebiana (like Stevia) and Erythritol. While it does taste quite good, the Rebiana is still quite noticeable in the mix of the recipes. It's not a bad alternative if your family do not notice it, since it's readily available.

Since we're talking about Erythritol, lets go into detail more about this sugar substitute. Erythritol belongs not so much to 'artificial' sweeteners as it's made with a natural fermentation process from fruits. This process creates many of the sugar alcohols, which are becoming more popular with the users who refuse to use the supermarket brands. Many of the sugar alcohols such as Eryhritol and Xylitol can be found in health stores, as they do have FDA approval under the category GRAS (generally regarded as safe).

The easiest thing I have found about Erythritol and Xylitol, is that they are so easy to use for cooking. Erythritol is about 70% as sweet as sugar, but Xylitol is 1 for 1 with sugar. No more adjusting recipes! Both can be bought in bags of 1 lb, or 3lb from health stores, and both have the same granularity and 'feel' as normal sugar. Just a note that these sugar alcohols can absorb a lot of water, so you might need to add more water if your baking something like cookies.

So which one do I choose?

Personally I've been using a lot of pure Erythritol. Simply because it's easily absorbed by the body, and will not cause a laxative effect or bloating. Even though Xylitol IS easier to use, but just to be safe, I like using a sugar substitute with the least side effects. Also the advantage of Erythritol is that it's effectively zero GI, unlike all the other sugar substitutes.

* Just a note that if any member of your family is allergic to fermented products, then sugar alcohols may not be suitable, since they are made with a fermentation process *

Hope you have all found this article useful. Check back soon for more of my articles as we go through how to use each sugar substitute.

Rachel J Smith is a proud home cook and enjoys trying out new products to make her recipes more healthy for her family. She is a contributing member of SugarSubstitutes.org. Their website can be found at http://sugarsubstitutes.org

Article Source: Sugar Substitutes For Beginners

Marian the Librarian-LivingAfterWLS Curator

As we have amassed a great collection of knowledge here at LivingAfterWLS (dating back to the original blog post in 2005) it has become increasingly apparent that a means is necessary to organize this data making it readily available for the benefit of all. Not long ago I learned of a curating service expert at the daunting task of organizing, indexing and referencing our vast body of knowledge here in the Neighborhood and all electronic stations of LivingAfterWLS. What a relief! We have often said that we are the pioneers in the front lines of Living after weight loss surgery -- but if our knowledge is lost or disorganized it has forfeited its value.

Enter Marian the Librarian. Online you will see the personality "Marian the Librarian" offer links to previous discussions, articles or relevant postings as deemed appropriate by the curating team. In addition you will see the curator "Marian the Librarian" post notice of new content in other social media owned by LivingAfterWLS such as our LivingAfterWLS YouTube channel or LivingAfterWLS Blog, Twitter or Facebook pages.

Meet Marian the Librarian our Neighborhood Curator

As any good Librarian, Marian will quietly point us in the direction of valuable content, but will not offer personal opinion or comment. You will visually recognize her by the Avatar posted above and know that the links she provides are valid LivingAfterWLS links and authentic spammer-free content. I am looking forward to what she pulls up from the list of over 150,000 posts here in the Neighborhood -- I know there is lots of great content down deep just waiting to be rediscovered.

ASK MARIAN:
If you have a specific question you would like Marian to address -- research questions only -- Please post it to this thread:

Ask Marian the Librarian

More Protein Quick Recipes

Originally posted 2/24/2009

Protein Quickies: Recipes for Real Life

In today’s You Have Arrived Newsletter (subscribe here) we presented five “Protein Quickies: Recipes for Real Life.” The recipes are so terrific, all taken from Women’s Health Magazine, that I’m sharing three more recipes here in the LivingAfterWLS Blog. They are all protein dense with a reasonable serving of nutritious complex carbohydrates. Enjoy!

Chicken Braised in Soy Sauce and Lemon
Brown bone-in chicken pieces in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Remove from pan. In same pan, stir in some chopped garlic. Add 1/2 tablespoon minced lemon zest, a pinch of cayenne, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/3 cup water; stir. Add the chicken, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, turning the pieces once. Add lemon juice and more soy sauce to taste.

Grilled Cod with Basil Dipping Sauce
For sauce: Combine 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 Thai chili (seeded and thinly sliced), and 1/2 cup sliced fresh basil. Season 1 pound of cod with salt and pepper. Cook, turning once, until cooked through (8 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness). Serve with the sauce.

Baked Eggs with Spinach
Preheat oven to 350°F. In boiling salted water, cook 2 pounds of spinach for 1 minute. Drain, cool, squeeze out excess liquid and chop. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a baking dish, and add spinach, and toss to coat. Spread out spinach, making 8 nests. Crack 1 egg into each and top with salt, pepper, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until yolks are just set and whites are solidified.

Fun Friday - Four Squared

Hey Neighbors -- Happy Fun Friday in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood!!

LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood

I still haven't heard from Gwenda -- Could she be tied up this long??? Seriously, I know she is dedicated to caring for her ailing aunt and has limited internet access so I'm stepping in with a Fun Friday again this week. As soon as I post here I'll pop in on April 9 Fun Friday and select the winners! It was a great game and what I have read so far was quite enjoyable.

Fabulous Prizes -- See our Past Winners in the Fun Friday Hall of Fame

Today is April 16th which is the number 4 squared (4x4=16) -- So I found a Four-Square Quiz for today's Fun Friday! Four Questions with Four answers each! Quick and Easy! Let's get playing!!!! To win prizes follow the link below and participate in the Neighborhood - Your LivingAfterWLS Safe Haven Circle of Friends.

Four-Squared Quiz Game
Please provide Four Answers for each of Four Questions!!


Four movies I can watch over and over:
1-
2-
3-
4-

Four places I've lived:
1-
2-
3-
4-

Four websites I visit daily:
1- (I think we all know the correct #1 answer here LOL!)
2-
3-
4-

Four of my favorite WLS-Friendly "Protein First" dishes:
1-
2-
3-
4-

Daily Intelligent Eating Triumphs

KayeBailey — April 15, 2010 — Kaye enthusiastically shares her "Daily Intelligent Eating Triumphs" concept with those who have undergone surgical weight loss including gastric bypass, gastric banding and gastric sleeve procedures. She empowers and uplifts with her authentic belief in people and their ability to thrive making healthy choices each day.



Get Kaye's Book Today

5 Ideas for 21g Protein Meals

We know the rule: WLS Rule #1 Protein First. That means after any surgical procedure to control our weight we are supposed to get most of our calories from protein. A 2008 study of bariatric surgeons indicates they are suggestion anywhere from 60 grams of protein a day to as many as 105 grams of protein a day -- depending upon the surgeon and the patient. At a minimum, that means we need about 20g per meal three times a day. Without falling back to protein bars, shakes or powders I offer some quick meal suggestions that come in at 21 grams of protein and a volume of 1-cup or less food.

Remember, protein is a good source of amino acid and energy for your body. Not only that, it requires more energy to process protein than the other nutrients (fat or carbohydrate) so your metabolism goes into high-octane burn when you feed it protein. That is how it causes weight loss and sustains weight maintenance. When you eat protein the dietary carbohydrates and fat your body previously stored as body fat for "a rainy day" must be used for energy to sustain metabolic process. So enjoy those protein grams and put your body in high metabolic burn!


1. Tuna Salad: 3 Ounces StarKist Tuna Salad Sandwich-Ready mixed with 1 hard-cooked egg, 4 baby carrots. Mix tuna salad with chopped egg, serve with baby carrots (avoid high calorie veggie dip - not necessary). Calories 180; 21g Protein, 9g Fat, 4g Carbohydrate. Add seasonal berries or fruit as desired, but make certain to follow the 2B/1B Rhythm (2 Bites Protein/1 Bite Carbohydrate).

2. Turkey Wrap: 2 ounces deli turkey breast slices (low sodium), 1 ounce Swiss cheese, 1 teaspoon mustard, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato. Stack or roll ingredients; serve chilled. Calories 180; 21g Protein, 9g Fat, 7g Carbohydrate. Change this up with any deli meat and cheese you enjoy.

3. All American Patty Melt: 3 Ounces extra-lean beef patty, grilled with 1 ounce American cheese melted on top served with 1 teaspoon each ketchup & mustard and 1/4 cup fresh cucumber slices. Calories: 322; 23g Protein; 24g Fat (11 Saturated); 4g Carbohydrate.

4. Salsa Chicken Melt: In a microwave safe container heat 3 ounces cooked shredded chicken with 1 tablespoon of salsa for 90 seconds. Top with 1 tablespoon low-fat sour cream (optional) and 1 tablespoon diced avocado (optional) or ready-made guacamole. Enjoy warm. Calories: 125. 21g Protein; 4g Fat (1 saturated) 2g Carbohydrate. A great use of left-over chicken, turkey, pork or beef.

5. Meatballs to Go: Place three (1-ounce) frozen cooked meatballs in a microwave safe lunch container. Top with 1/3 cup ready-made pasta or spaghetti sauce (your choice - I like the screw-top jars for easy use and storage once opened); 1/4 cup cottage cheese and 1 tablespoon shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover container & secure carefully: I place in a zipper bag to prevent spill damage if taking as "brown bag" lunch. Allow to thaw in refrigerator until lunch time, then cook in microwave oven on medium-high until hot throughout, 2-3 minutes. Enjoy warm. Very filling without the "pasta-load". Calories: 325; 20g Protein; 14g Fat (6 Saturated); 8g Carbohydrate. (You can make several of these meals in advance and freeze taking the frozen meal on the day of use. Simply thaw at room temperature until lunch and cook as directed).

Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test is my new book that has great tips like these for following a high protein diet in order to maximize the effectiveness of our weight loss surgery tool. Learn more.